Job Discussion Forums

[lordgosh43]

Hi all,
This is more for me to vent but if anyone wants to offer, I would appreciate any perspective on whether you would move abroad for a year to do tefl in my position.

So a bit of background…

I am 30-year-old male, from London. I’m mixed race (English and Chinese) and have been working in market research and data analysis for the last 5 years. I have a BA in English Lit and Politics, and an MA in Politics. Sporadically throughout the last 5 years, I have flirted with the idea living abroad for an extended period. Whilst abroad I would need like to make an income, as ideally, I don’t want to return home with less money than I left with. I would also like to stay in another location for an extended period to immerse myself in the life there, rather than travel from place to place. I back packed around Asia for 4 months, a few years back, and it was an amazing experience, but it’s not financially viable for me to do something like that right now.

Teaching English would probably be the only work option open to me in most countries. I would likely choose to teach in Taiwan as I’ve visited a couple of times and love the country. I also know a couple of friends living out there. I would also like to pick up some mandarin (though if I’m only there for a year, realistically I don’t think I’ll be able to get it to a decent level in that time).

I could potentially get a job abroad in the market research industry, given my previous experience but most of the jobs abroad that would be available to me are in Australia, and more occasionally Singapore. Those 2 countries have never appealed that much, but perhaps I’m discounting them prematurely. Also, the idea of having to work fewer hours, and having less responsibility whilst making ends meet (which some TEFL jobs would offer), is attractive to me right now.

Being a teacher holds little appeal to me, however. I’ve never considered teaching as a career. I don’t think I’m temperamentally suited to that line of work at all. However, I have no previous experience to verify this. I’m quite introverted, and the prospect of being the centre of attention, and trying to manage a class full of kids sounds extremely draining. I’m presuming, with my lack of teaching experience, that most of the jobs available to me will be working with young kids rather than adult learners, particularly in Taiwan. Additionally, I have little experience of being around kids in my day to day life, and have never had a job working with kids, so that’ll all be new to me. TEFL would therefore, be very much a means to survive rather than something I want to pursue long term.

To add to the complications, I own a flat here, so if I was to go abroad for a year say, I will need to rent out the place, which comes with its own challenges. Additionally, I currently work at a university, and they offer their staff the opportunity to study post graduate courses at the institution for pretty much free. Given my social science / humanities background, I thought this would be a good opportunity to get some harder skills on the cheap. I’ve been teaching myself programming sporadically these last few years, and would like to move more in that direction. I have an offer to study at the university for a MSc in computer science (the course is tailored to people coming from a non-computing background), and that will start in October. I need to decide whether to go for that. Additionally, I have a gf here. We’ve been together 7 months. She wouldn’t be able to move abroad to teach for the foreseeable as she’s not a British citizen and so leaving the country for more than 90 days would potentially jeopardise her citizenship prospects. I don’t think the relationship would really work long distance, if I was to go away.

To surmise then, as I see it the advantages of taking a year out and moving abroad to teach would be:
• Fulfilment of a long-held desire to live abroad (if I don’t go now, when will I)
• Not getting any younger – should do it.
• Opportunity for a bit of an adventure and a different challenge
• Will perhaps make me become a bit worldlier and open me to some different perspectives (no guarantees here)
• Escaping responsibilities, taking a bit of time out – not having to work as many hours
• Opportunity to remove myself from my home culture
• Perhaps the distance will provide me with some perspective on my life (no guarantees here)
• Escaping the competitiveness and relentlessness of London life.
• Opportunity to travel.

And the advantages of staying here for now:
• Heavily discounted master’s degree at the university I’m working at, and potential to transition into a new career that I’d rather do
• Teaching is not a career move for me.
• Probably won’t enjoy teaching that much – more a means to an end.
• Will not have to rent out flat
• Better for the relationship
• Will likely have to come back to UK eventually, and then I’ll have to reacclimatise and start over again. Will likely be a depressing experience.
• Initial adjustment to moving abroad will likely be difficult – possible initial regret, ruminations, disorientation, loneliness etc.
• Perhaps could move abroad in the future in something related to my career.

Apologies for the length of the post. If you read this far and have any thoughts on my situation let me know.

[MuscatGary]

Please don't do it unless you're prepared to train a s a teacher first. Being a native speaker does not make you into an English teacher and especially not with children.

[nomad soul]

Backpacker experiences don't reflect the reality of working and living in a foreign country. Regardless, your argument for staying in the UK is much stronger than your reasons for heading abroad to teach.

I suggest focusing on your career and finding a way to utilize that background to get you overseas work. In the meantime, plan to visit Asia as a tourist.

[bograt]

Judging by the way the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, you've already convinced yourself.

[Henry IX]

You don't have to teach kids, although often difficult to avoid completely...

[getbehindthemule]

It seems quite a big decision for you. I also had a decision to make 4 years ago and in the end I decided to take a year out which turned into 4!
Like you, I had a career and options back home, was relatively shy/introverted and had never worked with kids.
What happened came as a pleasant surprise, I came to love the teaching (as difficult as it is) and in particular my young students.
I was on the shortlist of 15 teachers (from 60) for 'best teacher' last year and I was informed yesterday that I got the most votes (from parents & students) and have an awards ceremony and speech to make on Friday (I hate that kind of stuff but the recognition is quite nice)!
What's more the lifestyle here really suits me, the food, the travel, the freedom. I think it was the best decision of my life, but it took some guts to actually go and do it. I think what it boils down to for me is - are you happy? If not, taking a year out is not the end of the world even if it doesnt work out!
I wish you the best of luck.